The present invention relates to a gripping means for handling blood plasma containers, intended to operate in association with robotized mechanisms for handling plasma containers, especially at their exit from machines intended for the automatic emptying of said bottles.
The gripping means of the present invention is intended to collaborate essentially in the operations of picking up bottles, emptying plasma and discharging the empty bottles, comprising a multiple mounting so that the displacement members of the robot can hold the gripping means and so that the gripping means is capable of handling a plurality of bottles simultaneously in order to empty them.
In a preferred version, the gripping means of the present invention has a frame with a plurality of gripper units, for example three, for holding bottles, each of which units comprises a mechanical gripper device consisting of two units, a movable unit and another, fixed unit, the movable unit being actuated by means of an actuating device, for example a pneumatic cylinder and piston assembly, which can effect the displacement of the movable part of the gripping means in order to hold the bottle between said movable part and a fixed part. The composition of the plurality of units, for example three, arranged in the same single frame will be identical, having the same gripper members in all cases and being associated with members for piercing the plasma bottles and injecting air or non-contaminating gas (for example N2) into the bottles, for which purpose each of the units has a second pneumatic cylinder with a needle for piercing and injection of air which is connected to means for receiving air at low pressure for its injection into the bottle.
The gripping means of the present invention will therefore exhibit, in operation, a first step of gripping the bottles as the movable members of each unit of the gripping means advances, pressing the bottles against the fixed receiving parts, and then proceeding with the perforation of the bottles, thereby permitting the introduction of air or another gas to facilitate their complete emptying and drainage.
All this is controlled from a centralized control assembly.
Each of the gripper units will be associated with a fibre-optic sensor intended to check the presence or absence of the bottles and whether the plasma remains inside the bottles after the emptying step.
The members of the gripping means will be constructed entirely of materials resistant to corrosion and oxidation, such as anodized aluminium and stainless steel, or titanium alloys or polymers and their compounds, ensuring that the materials are resistant to the chemical and physical agents necessary for cleaning and the actual products themselves.